Complete Guide to Sewing : Step-By-Step Techniques for Making Clothes and Home Furnishings (Hardcover)

~ Editors of Reader's Digest (Author)
Key Phrases: reducing seam bulk, basted markings, placket seamline, Front Side, Hong Kong, Back Front (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Despite all the specialty guides, a good, basic sewing text is essential in any library collection. Clearly organized and full of diagrams and details, this revision of the 1976 edition contains some updates, new information, and cleaner text. Sections on tailoring and sewing projects have been dropped, information on sergers added, and metric measurements included everywhere. The section on fabrics has been enlarged, and children's wear has been simplified to reflect the joy of Velcro. Still, many of the changes are cosmetic, with some chapters reading word for word like the older edition?though the print is larger and darker in the new edition. Overall, this is a great source for sound sewing basics. Recommended for every library, especially those lacking the older edition.?Karen Ellis, Baldwin Boettcher Lib., Humble, Tex.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Making even some of your clothes can save money (especially if you have kids), and sewing skills come in handy for alterations and repairs on your store-boughts (maybe you need to put in a new zipper or a hem, or you want to get creative with some old clothes). After 20 years, this is still the best all-around handbook on the shelves for sewing. No matter what your level of expertise, you'll find something you can use here. Everything from basic handstitching to using a sewing machine to sewing simple and complex patterns for clothing, bedding, slipcovers and drapes (even pesky zipper applications seem reasonable here). This newly revised edition has a slew of detailed drawings, friendly instructions and several new additions including a color photo spread of more than 190 fabric types. -- From The WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women; review by Ilene Rosoff

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Readers Digest; Revised edition (April 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888502478
• ISBN-13: 978-0888502476
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #83,536 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

93 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Help When I was Falling Apart at the Seams :-), March 25, 2000

By	Andrea Riley (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

I just started a sewing class in January and quickly became hooked on sewing. The class was once per week and I missed two classes. I thus had to complete my skirt's darts,insert the zipper and facing, and complete the hem without my teacher's constant guidance. I got this book at the library, and it is excellent at taking you step by step to do anything from threading the bobbin on different sewing machines(which I used to have trouble doing), to inserting zippers, and sewing for children and the home. I'm now buying the book so I can have one for myself. I'm usualy a visual learner that prefers glossy pictures to the technical drawings the book has, but the drawings are very clear and easy to follow. Most books I've run across with the glossy pictures are not as detailed as this book is for instruction. This book helped me complete my skirt mostly by myself and my teacher thought it looked great. It's good for beginning and intermediate sewers and I'm sure the advanced sewer could use it as a refresher.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book could replace most of my sewing library!, August 28, 2001

By	"mihnista" (Australia) - See all my reviews

I love sewing books. My collection is about 20+ books, and this one reference contains most of the information in all of them - plus extras I've never seen anywhere else, like the 12 pages on pleating. The illustrations are clear and the text is readable and helpful. Many other sewing books are full of the author's personality and weigh heavily in favour of certain techniques. That makes them interesting reading, but it can make life difficult when all your books disagree. Instead, this book will help you choose the technique and solution that will best suit your projects, without undue prejudice. In summary, this book is not only a good reference it's a great read and is full of information from beginner to advanced. If you can only afford one sewing book, make this the one. If you already have a shelf-full of sewing books, you will still be glad you added this one.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfection In Book Form!!!, August 26, 1999

By A Customer

If ever there was a need for this book! It has answers and is illistrated for any and every sewing problem you may have. I am only beginning to enter the sewing field, and this book has explained things to me that only my Grandmother would have had the answeres to! A must for every seemstress or Fashion Designer. James D. Lamberth Jr. San Diego, Calif. U.S.A. [e-mail]